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MGL Xtreme at Airventure

hobby_rv6 said:
Has anyone looked at the MGL Xtreme EFIS that is supposed to be at Airventure? If so, how about a pirep.
Click to expand...

It only arrived on Tuesday at Osh due to confusion at UPS. But it is there now and getting very good comments from everybody that has seen it.

Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
 
It really is!!

Beautiful screen color, highly visible and heavily feature-laden/user tailored.

I met Nicol and that guy is straight up and very knowledgeable (sp?).

Regards,
 
@ Rainier, do you have any other pictures ( screen shots )of the unit, what was the price, I was not able to get to Oshkosh and would like any feedback.
The closest I got to Oshkosh was the EAA video feed . :eek:
 
Jamie Aust said:
@ Rainier, do you have any other pictures ( screen shots )of the unit, what was the price, I was not able to get to Oshkosh and would like any feedback.
The closest I got to Oshkosh was the EAA video feed . :eek:
Click to expand...

No, unfortunately I don't have any more pictures. The unit at Osh is not the final item, it is final only as far as the hardware is concerned (and those that had a very close look might notice that the keypad has been made on a printer - it was not ready in time).
The XTreme is different to our other instruments (and I suppose to any other) in that it forms a universal platform in some ways like a PC and we will publish an API (GNU based) that will allow anybody with some programming experience to do whatever he likes with the unit. The API will take care of all the "hard" bits, i.e. hardware interfacing etc so the budding programmer can concentrate on doing the fun things.
While we will of course make our own applications available (PFD, Engine monitor, GPS) it may well be that you will find third party applications after some time that outdo ours or are better at certain things you may be after. Time will tell.
Anyway, the price of the basic unit is WAY lower than anything else but it does not contain a built in AHRS (of course for many applications that is not needed) - so a basic VFR EFIS would only cost in the several $100's (not yet sure of the exact figure but it is really not bad). The AHRS (if needed) is our external SP-4 or SP-5 (if you need a high grade system) or the SP-7 which is currently a concept and promisses the performance of laser ring gyros and as compass you will need either our SP-2 or a new SP-6 (currently in development). The XTreme of course interfaces to any of our RDAC units for engine monitoring (and those are really cheap).

So, in a nutshell, the XTreme is a new idea all around and we really don't know how it will develop - that is something you, the customer will dictate...

Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
 
akschu said:
App Store != open platform.
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It has been my intention to make the system open and easy to program at the same time - my nephew Franz who is the designer behind the XTreme (yup, becoming a regular family effort) is buying into this concept.

It may sound strange, but this is not about money. If it were, we would be rich. We aren't. Call us "electronic hippies" if you like (we have been called this before).

If somebody writes an application to run on the XTreme, he can do anything he likes with it, like:

a) Keep it for himself.
b) Give it away.
c) Sell it.
d) Open the source in whatever way and let others improve on it or mess it up.

HOWEVER
----------
As this may (or may not) go into an aircraft there is some responsibility attached to whoever writes the code. There WILL be liability regardless if the application is free or not. Mess up and you could find yourself in very hot water.

If the unit is used with third party software that is not under our control, we do not accept any liability if things go wrong, even if it triggers WWIII.
You write it - you take the risk - ALL of the risk.

Rainier
CEO MGL Avionics
 
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